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The Tethered God
Not yet published
Expected 22 Sep 26The gods of Ashkareth built their world on blood and silence.
Someone else's blood.
Someone else's silence.
Brann spent fourteen years drinking away the things he'd done-what the gods demanded, what the temple required, what his bond was built on. He was done with all of it. Then a name he buried came back to find him. And something older than the gods began to speak.
Now he must learn the horror of what it means when the thing the gods fear most call him by name.
Someone else's blood.
Someone else's silence.
Brann spent fourteen years drinking away the things he'd done-what the gods demanded, what the temple required, what his bond was built on. He was done with all of it. Then a name he buried came back to find him. And something older than the gods began to speak.
Now he must learn the horror of what it means when the thing the gods fear most call him by name.
- GenresFantasy
Kindle Edition
Expected publication September 22, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
This review is spoiler-free.
Tethered God is the first book in The Shattered Song series by Noah Brisk. I was fortunate enough to receive an eARC prior to its release on September 22. My thanks to Noah and Stacey.
Let me preface this review by stating: The act of creation is full of wonder and whimsy, but also misgivings and perils. I have immense respect for any person who puts a piece of themselves out there. Different readers latch onto and empathize with different things, and no book is universally loved or disliked. It all comes down to personal preferences in the end.
Tethered God registers as an interesting amalgam of crowd-favorite computer games and mainstream fantasy works. To me, it feels like a solid first stab at creative writing and will certainly score high with the right crowd. I can also see that the book would likely benefit from one more editorial pass. Sometimes words and phrases echo, the sentence-level writing is a bit uneven, and occasional anachronisms jump-scare off the page. Nothing that would make you put the book down, but things you’ll catch.
What I really liked, however, was how seamlessly accessible everything felt. A person who rarely reads could pick this up and have a blast. In that sense, this book may be a surprisingly poignant entry point for anyone trying to get into fantasy or reading in general. It isn’t overly demanding and holds your hand just enough that you don’t flounder (or flinch!). Yes, it leans into familiar tropes and character stereotypes, but fantasy veterans will still appreciate the relentless pacing, intriguing religious backdrop, and genuinely cool magic system.
If you have the right expectations, you’ll enjoy this book—devour it, even. To me, it was a bit heavy handed, but not so much that I couldn’t recommend it to other gloom-seeking enthusiasts. If you like grimdark, dark fantasy, or edgier fantasy blends, this was written for you. Even though the final polish is a bit rougher, you’ll likely love the book for what it is: entertaining, fast-paced, and ultimately a fun thrill-ride.
🌕🌕🌕🌘🌑
Serrated Blade with a Coarse Edge — 3.25 / 5.00
Tethered God is the first book in The Shattered Song series by Noah Brisk. I was fortunate enough to receive an eARC prior to its release on September 22. My thanks to Noah and Stacey.
Let me preface this review by stating: The act of creation is full of wonder and whimsy, but also misgivings and perils. I have immense respect for any person who puts a piece of themselves out there. Different readers latch onto and empathize with different things, and no book is universally loved or disliked. It all comes down to personal preferences in the end.
Tethered God registers as an interesting amalgam of crowd-favorite computer games and mainstream fantasy works. To me, it feels like a solid first stab at creative writing and will certainly score high with the right crowd. I can also see that the book would likely benefit from one more editorial pass. Sometimes words and phrases echo, the sentence-level writing is a bit uneven, and occasional anachronisms jump-scare off the page. Nothing that would make you put the book down, but things you’ll catch.
What I really liked, however, was how seamlessly accessible everything felt. A person who rarely reads could pick this up and have a blast. In that sense, this book may be a surprisingly poignant entry point for anyone trying to get into fantasy or reading in general. It isn’t overly demanding and holds your hand just enough that you don’t flounder (or flinch!). Yes, it leans into familiar tropes and character stereotypes, but fantasy veterans will still appreciate the relentless pacing, intriguing religious backdrop, and genuinely cool magic system.
If you have the right expectations, you’ll enjoy this book—devour it, even. To me, it was a bit heavy handed, but not so much that I couldn’t recommend it to other gloom-seeking enthusiasts. If you like grimdark, dark fantasy, or edgier fantasy blends, this was written for you. Even though the final polish is a bit rougher, you’ll likely love the book for what it is: entertaining, fast-paced, and ultimately a fun thrill-ride.
🌕🌕🌕🌘🌑
Serrated Blade with a Coarse Edge — 3.25 / 5.00
June 29, 2026
this book is comprised of so many things i love about fantasy, so im not surprised i loved it. character driven fantasies are my favorite, and the tethered god went so deep into the protagonist, brann’s, head that i almost felt like i was him. he is not a perfect, conventional hero by any means, and starts off the story extremely aimless. but he’s loveable despite how rough he is, and seeing his arc was incredibly moving. seren was another character i grew to love.
she’s 19, and brisk does a great job at making sure she’s not either infantilised or overly mature. i loved seeing her come into herself, but i also appreciated that she started off with so much strength and poise. her composure and her intellect reminded me quite a bit of moiraine from the wheel of time, but she still felt fresh. her interactions with brann were such a treat not only because of how well they foiled each other, but because of how smart she was in engaging with him.
the way religion intersected with politics was fascinating, as was the depth of the magic system. it was extremely structured with rules and consequences, and never felt like a crutch. there is nothing nebulous or confusing about it. it was so cool how all of the characters, while bound by the same rules, have such a unique relationship with the magic.
the action scenes were extremely visceral and graphic; i felt like i was in the thick of it with the level of sensory detail that was applied. the way brisk merges traditional combat with magic really enhances not only the worldbuilding but the character work, as each person’s fighting style is very much tailored to who they are as a person and what skills they’re most comfortable with. even though there’s a massive fight scene like, three chapters in, it didn’t feel like it was gratuitous or unearned because of how expository it was.
finally, i loved how expansive the world felt. this is a whole universe with a history that clearly spans thousands of years in either direction from the main timeline. it doesn’t feel like it just spawned into existence to serve the plot. the epigraphs were so intriguing, especially with the level of academia to them— they are not only attributed to author, but to document, and have notes from translators and archivists that had me wondering who i was supposed to believe. history contains multitudes, and there is no fully correct interpretation, just what people are believing.
overall, i’d highly recommend this to anyone who likes extremely layered character work, hard magic systems, and lore that is vast and complex without feeling like an info dump. it’s such a love letter to the fantasy greats, like the wheel of time, the realm of the elderlings, and the faithful and the fallen, while still carving its own path in a way that is sure to resonate.
she’s 19, and brisk does a great job at making sure she’s not either infantilised or overly mature. i loved seeing her come into herself, but i also appreciated that she started off with so much strength and poise. her composure and her intellect reminded me quite a bit of moiraine from the wheel of time, but she still felt fresh. her interactions with brann were such a treat not only because of how well they foiled each other, but because of how smart she was in engaging with him.
the way religion intersected with politics was fascinating, as was the depth of the magic system. it was extremely structured with rules and consequences, and never felt like a crutch. there is nothing nebulous or confusing about it. it was so cool how all of the characters, while bound by the same rules, have such a unique relationship with the magic.
the action scenes were extremely visceral and graphic; i felt like i was in the thick of it with the level of sensory detail that was applied. the way brisk merges traditional combat with magic really enhances not only the worldbuilding but the character work, as each person’s fighting style is very much tailored to who they are as a person and what skills they’re most comfortable with. even though there’s a massive fight scene like, three chapters in, it didn’t feel like it was gratuitous or unearned because of how expository it was.
finally, i loved how expansive the world felt. this is a whole universe with a history that clearly spans thousands of years in either direction from the main timeline. it doesn’t feel like it just spawned into existence to serve the plot. the epigraphs were so intriguing, especially with the level of academia to them— they are not only attributed to author, but to document, and have notes from translators and archivists that had me wondering who i was supposed to believe. history contains multitudes, and there is no fully correct interpretation, just what people are believing.
overall, i’d highly recommend this to anyone who likes extremely layered character work, hard magic systems, and lore that is vast and complex without feeling like an info dump. it’s such a love letter to the fantasy greats, like the wheel of time, the realm of the elderlings, and the faithful and the fallen, while still carving its own path in a way that is sure to resonate.
June 26, 2026
I did enjoy this book a lot, the magic system was interesting, the characters were “cool”. The world building just left me confused a lot of the time and just felt like I was missing something. Maybe I read it to fast I do that sometimes, but I will say for a first book really good try. I can definitely seeing the series grow depending the choices made in the future. Looking forward to seeing Noah grow as an author.
April 7, 2026
I wouldn’t hold it against you if you called this a dark version of The Wheel of Time, told with more precision and concision. But I think it’s better to describe this as if Robert Jordan and Richard Swan had a book baby raised by Robin Hobb.
That is to say this book’s DNA is very much a blending of love for The Wheel of Time and The Tyranny of Faith, with elements that could have only come from a love for Hobb as well. If you have read characters like Regal Farseer or Kyle Haven and felt absolute immense insta hate for a character, you will see what I am talking about.
Also every once in awhile Brisk will hit you with a line that sounds like this:
“The sky seemed to be a boiling cauldron of gold, red, and violet. There were no birds to be seen and no wolves to be heard. Sangreal had a persistent hush like the world was waiting for instructions.“
See what I am getting at here?
Much like Richard Swan, Noah takes concepts that are SO FANTASY and weaves them with horror elements sometimes in similar ways- especially as it pertains to the ritualistic manner of certain magics here and other times in ways just in the visceral ways things get described.
As to the Wheel of Time, there are many many similarities here. Many I will not get into for spoiler reasons, its better to experience this. The FMC, Seren is reminiscent of Moraine, our MMC Brann is a former Warden, a group of people bonded to a priestess - similar to the Aes Sedai and their Warders. There are more parallels here but I will let you find them as the story unfolds.
Before you think that this is anything more- this is homage and tribute to Wheel of Time.
Pacing wise, this book moves fast and always keeps something interesting happening. The book isnt long - in talking about this with others who have read it I have called this a short book for people who love long books. The epigraphs provide a lot of really interesting lore, you get a lot of character moments and action despite this book coming in at under 400 Kindle pages.
Again, I dont want to say too much here, but Noah Brisk knows what strings to pull and can make you laugh, smile, frown and scream angrily and certainly makes you do all of those things.
That is to say this book’s DNA is very much a blending of love for The Wheel of Time and The Tyranny of Faith, with elements that could have only come from a love for Hobb as well. If you have read characters like Regal Farseer or Kyle Haven and felt absolute immense insta hate for a character, you will see what I am talking about.
Also every once in awhile Brisk will hit you with a line that sounds like this:
“The sky seemed to be a boiling cauldron of gold, red, and violet. There were no birds to be seen and no wolves to be heard. Sangreal had a persistent hush like the world was waiting for instructions.“
See what I am getting at here?
Much like Richard Swan, Noah takes concepts that are SO FANTASY and weaves them with horror elements sometimes in similar ways- especially as it pertains to the ritualistic manner of certain magics here and other times in ways just in the visceral ways things get described.
As to the Wheel of Time, there are many many similarities here. Many I will not get into for spoiler reasons, its better to experience this. The FMC, Seren is reminiscent of Moraine, our MMC Brann is a former Warden, a group of people bonded to a priestess - similar to the Aes Sedai and their Warders. There are more parallels here but I will let you find them as the story unfolds.
Before you think that this is anything more- this is homage and tribute to Wheel of Time.
Pacing wise, this book moves fast and always keeps something interesting happening. The book isnt long - in talking about this with others who have read it I have called this a short book for people who love long books. The epigraphs provide a lot of really interesting lore, you get a lot of character moments and action despite this book coming in at under 400 Kindle pages.
Again, I dont want to say too much here, but Noah Brisk knows what strings to pull and can make you laugh, smile, frown and scream angrily and certainly makes you do all of those things.
March 14, 2026
I beta read this book and even in its early state I’d give it a strong 4.75.
I definitely prefer shorter books over the giant, epic doorstoppers so this one was right up my alley. Despite the low word count Noah does an incredible job of taking some of the immense, world-spanning stakes of true epic fantasy and compressing them down into a tight narrative that maintains a thriller level pace.
This book pulls no punches and does not shy away from showing you every squeamish detail. It is grimdark in the truest sense of the word. Bad things happen to good people, horrific things happen to innocent people. However; it does manage to avoid the trap that some grimdarks slip into of complete apathy. Noah sprinkles in just enough light and love and beauty to make you want to see Brann and Seren succeed against the overwhelming odds arrayed against them.
If you want to see an old (actually old) washed up soldier come out of retirement to punch bloodthirsty cultists in the face and work his way up to challenging the very gods themselves this is the book for you.
This book is a fit for people who enjoy the following games:
- God of War
- Bloodborne
- Elden Ring
- Dark Souls
Warning: if unsettlingly accurate and moist descriptions of eldritch body horror give you pause, keep a bucket nearby.
I definitely prefer shorter books over the giant, epic doorstoppers so this one was right up my alley. Despite the low word count Noah does an incredible job of taking some of the immense, world-spanning stakes of true epic fantasy and compressing them down into a tight narrative that maintains a thriller level pace.
This book pulls no punches and does not shy away from showing you every squeamish detail. It is grimdark in the truest sense of the word. Bad things happen to good people, horrific things happen to innocent people. However; it does manage to avoid the trap that some grimdarks slip into of complete apathy. Noah sprinkles in just enough light and love and beauty to make you want to see Brann and Seren succeed against the overwhelming odds arrayed against them.
If you want to see an old (actually old) washed up soldier come out of retirement to punch bloodthirsty cultists in the face and work his way up to challenging the very gods themselves this is the book for you.
This book is a fit for people who enjoy the following games:
- God of War
- Bloodborne
- Elden Ring
- Dark Souls
Warning: if unsettlingly accurate and moist descriptions of eldritch body horror give you pause, keep a bucket nearby.
June 27, 2026
Review of an advanced copy received from the author.
I wanted to sit with my feelings on this book for a few days after finishing it. I think that the premise of the story was very interesting and I liked the characters. But I think what held me back from really enjoying this more was that I didn’t connect with the writing.
I definitely think that The Tethered God will really appeal to readers who like darker fantasy.
I wanted to sit with my feelings on this book for a few days after finishing it. I think that the premise of the story was very interesting and I liked the characters. But I think what held me back from really enjoying this more was that I didn’t connect with the writing.
I definitely think that The Tethered God will really appeal to readers who like darker fantasy.
June 29, 2026
Unabashedly brutal, unflinchingly grim, unapologetically hopeful. Fans of Richard Swan and Robert Jordan alike will find a home here.
March 15, 2026
Brann just wants to forget. Forget his mistakes, forget oaths broken, forget her. Unfortunately for him, fate has something else in mind. The gods are dying, the Light corrupting, and he just might hold the key to saving it all.
I was fortunate enough to beta read this for Noah and it truly is an accomplishment. This is story is raw, dark, and a non-stop ride to hell and back. The first half builds our characters, the magic system, some backstory. But that second half? It’s wild. You’re going to get a relentless pace - you’re going to to get some heartstrings pulled - you’re going to get a whole lot of bloodshed and violence - and you’re going to end up asking, what’s next?
I was fortunate enough to beta read this for Noah and it truly is an accomplishment. This is story is raw, dark, and a non-stop ride to hell and back. The first half builds our characters, the magic system, some backstory. But that second half? It’s wild. You’re going to get a relentless pace - you’re going to to get some heartstrings pulled - you’re going to get a whole lot of bloodshed and violence - and you’re going to end up asking, what’s next?
Read
March 20, 2026Beta reader, so not rating, but I will say this was fun if you like your magic systems dark and squelchy.
July 7, 2026
Bloody(literally) brilliant debut, I was hooked the entire way through this story! Noah is a genius 👏🏻
This trilogy is going to be epic after this starting point!!
It’s such a brutal world when the layers are peeled back yet on the exterior it’s quite beautiful 😂
Pacing is insanely good- battles are intense, gory and rapid. The building of the world mechanics is seamless by the end it all falls together perfectly yet also needing more!
The first and only epic fantasy I’ve read that’s under 400 pages I think? You’d be daft not to check it out.
We’ve got gods, BLOOD MAGIC- it’s really something else too, the quest of a lifetime and I can tell this is literally only the beginning of this tale 👀
This trilogy is going to be epic after this starting point!!
It’s such a brutal world when the layers are peeled back yet on the exterior it’s quite beautiful 😂
Pacing is insanely good- battles are intense, gory and rapid. The building of the world mechanics is seamless by the end it all falls together perfectly yet also needing more!
The first and only epic fantasy I’ve read that’s under 400 pages I think? You’d be daft not to check it out.
We’ve got gods, BLOOD MAGIC- it’s really something else too, the quest of a lifetime and I can tell this is literally only the beginning of this tale 👀
Read
June 26, 2026Well written for a debut novel, but it just wasn’t for me. The plot didn’t bring anything new to the genre, the characters were stiff and not very endearing, and the mythology was weighed down by too much verbiage and confusing explanations.
June 27, 2026
I just finished reading an advance copy; thank you Noah and Stacey!
This book is fast-paced, intense, and full of action. It will keep you turning pages and you won’t want to blink or you’ll miss something. It is gritty, dark, and not for the squeamish, although there are some scenes of hope and light peppered in to create balance.
The two main characters worked beautifully together. Brann starts the story as a former elite protector who has given up on life. Despite his failings, you can’t help but like the guy and it’s a journey watching him reluctantly try to reclaim his former pride and passion. Seren is fierce and does not tolerate his attitude. Together, they are a great book duo, and so interesting to watch as their relationship grows and develops.
The story provides social commentary on the power religions hold in societies, the lengths they will go to in order to keep that power, and how carefully presented narratives can manipulate the masses.
If you like your books dark, disturbingly descriptive, with fast-paced action and a unique and interesting magic system, you will want to pick up this book.
This book is fast-paced, intense, and full of action. It will keep you turning pages and you won’t want to blink or you’ll miss something. It is gritty, dark, and not for the squeamish, although there are some scenes of hope and light peppered in to create balance.
The two main characters worked beautifully together. Brann starts the story as a former elite protector who has given up on life. Despite his failings, you can’t help but like the guy and it’s a journey watching him reluctantly try to reclaim his former pride and passion. Seren is fierce and does not tolerate his attitude. Together, they are a great book duo, and so interesting to watch as their relationship grows and develops.
The story provides social commentary on the power religions hold in societies, the lengths they will go to in order to keep that power, and how carefully presented narratives can manipulate the masses.
If you like your books dark, disturbingly descriptive, with fast-paced action and a unique and interesting magic system, you will want to pick up this book.
July 5, 2026
This book pushed the gas pedal down and never looked back. From the very start of the book there was action, violence, and non stop bloodshed while still bringing in emotion from the characters. I do wish we could have gotten more of background on the characters however that didn’t stop this from being an amazing story! I think Noah Brisk has a promising career ahead of him if he can keep making stories as great as this one.
July 4, 2026
Woah! What a debut.
From the foul mouthed middle aged alcoholic Brann, to the gorgeous yet strong teenager Seren, to the mesmerising fierceness of Kiera, this debut novel is full of blood, guts and gore, but also heart, love and forgiveness. It is fast paced and action packed and leaves you wanting more.
I cannot wait to delve into book 2.
Congrats Noah, what a bloody great way to start your writing career!
From the foul mouthed middle aged alcoholic Brann, to the gorgeous yet strong teenager Seren, to the mesmerising fierceness of Kiera, this debut novel is full of blood, guts and gore, but also heart, love and forgiveness. It is fast paced and action packed and leaves you wanting more.
I cannot wait to delve into book 2.
Congrats Noah, what a bloody great way to start your writing career!
June 22, 2026
Fucking Lyssia’s tits” this was GOOD. 😂
Thanks to author Noah Brisk for allowing me to read his ARC.
This book wastes absolutely no time the first chapter basically grabbed me by the collar and said, you live here now. I finished this in two days. Absolute page turner.
You follow Brann as he tries (and fails spectacularly) to outrun his past. Forget his mistakes. Forget what he’s done. But fate looked at all that and said, that’s cute.
Things in the land of Ashkareth are corrupted, and Brann may be the key to fixing it all. No pressure.
I loved the gore, the blood, the magic system, the runes, and especially the memory sequences they were written in such a cool way and made everything hit harder emotionally. This felt like classic epic high fantasy without requiring a dictionary and three cups of coffee to understand what was happening 😂 Fast paced, brutal, but still packed with heart.
And Seren Serenity Vale?? Absolute queen. Nothing improves a fantasy journey like a tough woman showing up and bringing energy to every scene she’s in. She added so much to the story and balanced Brann’s journey perfectly.
Noah definitely knows how to twist the knife emotionally too there were moments that actually got me. And Brann’s story wrapped up in a way that felt satisfying and earned.
Overall: dark, bloody, emotional, and impossible to put down.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 stars and several emotional support runes later… I survived.
Thanks to author Noah Brisk for allowing me to read his ARC.
This book wastes absolutely no time the first chapter basically grabbed me by the collar and said, you live here now. I finished this in two days. Absolute page turner.
You follow Brann as he tries (and fails spectacularly) to outrun his past. Forget his mistakes. Forget what he’s done. But fate looked at all that and said, that’s cute.
Things in the land of Ashkareth are corrupted, and Brann may be the key to fixing it all. No pressure.
I loved the gore, the blood, the magic system, the runes, and especially the memory sequences they were written in such a cool way and made everything hit harder emotionally. This felt like classic epic high fantasy without requiring a dictionary and three cups of coffee to understand what was happening 😂 Fast paced, brutal, but still packed with heart.
And Seren Serenity Vale?? Absolute queen. Nothing improves a fantasy journey like a tough woman showing up and bringing energy to every scene she’s in. She added so much to the story and balanced Brann’s journey perfectly.
Noah definitely knows how to twist the knife emotionally too there were moments that actually got me. And Brann’s story wrapped up in a way that felt satisfying and earned.
Overall: dark, bloody, emotional, and impossible to put down.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
5 stars and several emotional support runes later… I survived.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Tethered God is a single POV grimdark fantasy set in a world ruled by cruel gods and the clergy who worship them. After millennia of history repeating itself, a man who has all but given up on himself learns that he is the key to forging a new path for the seventh god.
The writing style is atmospheric, grandiose and gritty. There are frequent and meticulous descriptions of carnage, savagery and pain, pairing horror elements alongside fantasy.
While I saw some plot revelations coming, I felt unsure of where the story was going right until the end. The two epilogues at the end gave rise to all kinds of new questions as well, and I can only guess the direction that the series will take next.
I went into this expecting Wheel of Time and Cosmere vibes, but this is actually much more of a Game of Thrones vibe. A couple of world building concepts were borrowed from Wheel of Time, but the overall tone and storytelling style was very different.
The story centres on the main character, Brann, who is called out of retirement to help his old flame in a world-threatening crisis. The clergy are struggling to handle a rogue cult which is claiming the lives of entire villages, and its leader has personal history with Brann. Once a ruthless warrior, Brann agrees to quit drowning his sorrows in ale and redeem himself by stepping up. I really enjoyed the unconventional choice of an older main character. The trope of “coming out of retirement” is a lot of fun, reminding me of Reacher or Escape from New York. There were some epic battles where Brann wiped the floor with his enemies, which was awesome.
Admittedly I was thrown off by the story’s focus on a single main character, since epic fantasy usually has a big cast of characters and multiple points of view. That left me feeling like the other characters were underdeveloped, but the reader does get a deep dive into Brann’s emotions, insecurities, and pain. I really enjoyed his self loathing and how that related to his prowess as a warrior. I wished there were flashbacks to supplement the story for a bit more “show” rather than “tell” about his past, though.
The pacing felt really unconventional to me. The midpoint was so intense that it felt like it should have been the ending climax, and then the relentless intensity just didn’t let up all the way to the end. Because there wasn’t a longer build up to the cosmic stakes and world-shattering events, it didn’t land for me the way that I had hoped it would. The other issue I had was that the stakes weren’t grounded enough for me. I didn’t have enough background knowledge about this world or its characters for the stakes to have maximum emotional impact.
There were some interesting themes, such as suppressed knowledge and defying destiny. My favourite part was Brann accepting his past and seeing how it led to the person he became. I wish that this had been more grounded in the story and given more time to pack an emotional punch, though.
Overall, this was a thought-provoking read and would be great for fans of grimdark and fantasy/horror combo, especially those looking for a fresh indie voice.
The level of graphic violence and the style of storytelling didn’t quite align with my personal tastes which is why I’m giving an honest rating of 3.5 but rounding my rating up to 4 stars ⭐️ I would still be interested in reading future books by this author.
This was an ARC read and I’m so grateful for the privilege of supporting this debut indie release.
The writing style is atmospheric, grandiose and gritty. There are frequent and meticulous descriptions of carnage, savagery and pain, pairing horror elements alongside fantasy.
While I saw some plot revelations coming, I felt unsure of where the story was going right until the end. The two epilogues at the end gave rise to all kinds of new questions as well, and I can only guess the direction that the series will take next.
I went into this expecting Wheel of Time and Cosmere vibes, but this is actually much more of a Game of Thrones vibe. A couple of world building concepts were borrowed from Wheel of Time, but the overall tone and storytelling style was very different.
The story centres on the main character, Brann, who is called out of retirement to help his old flame in a world-threatening crisis. The clergy are struggling to handle a rogue cult which is claiming the lives of entire villages, and its leader has personal history with Brann. Once a ruthless warrior, Brann agrees to quit drowning his sorrows in ale and redeem himself by stepping up. I really enjoyed the unconventional choice of an older main character. The trope of “coming out of retirement” is a lot of fun, reminding me of Reacher or Escape from New York. There were some epic battles where Brann wiped the floor with his enemies, which was awesome.
Admittedly I was thrown off by the story’s focus on a single main character, since epic fantasy usually has a big cast of characters and multiple points of view. That left me feeling like the other characters were underdeveloped, but the reader does get a deep dive into Brann’s emotions, insecurities, and pain. I really enjoyed his self loathing and how that related to his prowess as a warrior. I wished there were flashbacks to supplement the story for a bit more “show” rather than “tell” about his past, though.
The pacing felt really unconventional to me. The midpoint was so intense that it felt like it should have been the ending climax, and then the relentless intensity just didn’t let up all the way to the end. Because there wasn’t a longer build up to the cosmic stakes and world-shattering events, it didn’t land for me the way that I had hoped it would. The other issue I had was that the stakes weren’t grounded enough for me. I didn’t have enough background knowledge about this world or its characters for the stakes to have maximum emotional impact.
There were some interesting themes, such as suppressed knowledge and defying destiny. My favourite part was Brann accepting his past and seeing how it led to the person he became. I wish that this had been more grounded in the story and given more time to pack an emotional punch, though.
Overall, this was a thought-provoking read and would be great for fans of grimdark and fantasy/horror combo, especially those looking for a fresh indie voice.
The level of graphic violence and the style of storytelling didn’t quite align with my personal tastes which is why I’m giving an honest rating of 3.5 but rounding my rating up to 4 stars ⭐️ I would still be interested in reading future books by this author.
This was an ARC read and I’m so grateful for the privilege of supporting this debut indie release.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This story was such a ride! I absolutely loved it.
This was a wonderful piece of accessible epic fantasy. The prose is simple enough that it gets out of the way and allows for the story to reveal itself naturally. Even in its simplicity the prose is still wonderfully engaging in that it is an incredible visual feast. You can truly smell the acrid smell of sweat, the copper tang of blood, the rot, the death.
This thorough immersion also lends to the world building of the novel, firmly placing the reader in the muddy ale swill of the village, the crunching underfoot of the snowy mountains, and in the incense filled hallways of the temple. The amount of world building that is achieved in such few pages is genuinely impressive.
The characters are what truly shine in this novel. I absolutely adore Brann, he’s such a wonderfully complex, multifaceted character. Currently reading the EOTV series and Brann is giving me Silversaint vibes, a tragic hero, desperately trying to hide after a shattering past. But he’s so much more than that, there’s a fire in Brann, a war, and yet somehow still the remains of a heart. The interactions with other characters were incredibly well thought out, with each character feeling intentional in peeling back another layer of the mystery that surrounds Brann.
I also think the unravelling of Branns’ story was handled incredibly well, at no point did it feel ‘info-dumpy’ and was genuinely engaging throughout. This slow untangle of his history thoroughly heightening the ever building tension in the novel, successfully driving the reader towards the stories precipice.
I am also very intrigued by Serens character, there are a lot of secrets there I am desperately awaiting to unfold.
I loved the magic system, I thought this was incredibly unique and I am genuinely excited to see how this develops as the series progresses. My only minor criticism is the use of ‘pull from core’ as a phrase, personally I just feel this gets a little repetitive and could be described a little different melt from time to time, for example ‘Brann felt the familiar pull of his magic’ or ‘reached into that well at his core…’ I’m sure you could write it better than me but perhaps you get the idea.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one! Honestly cannot wait to see what happens next, what a cliffhanger to leave me on!
This was a wonderful piece of accessible epic fantasy. The prose is simple enough that it gets out of the way and allows for the story to reveal itself naturally. Even in its simplicity the prose is still wonderfully engaging in that it is an incredible visual feast. You can truly smell the acrid smell of sweat, the copper tang of blood, the rot, the death.
This thorough immersion also lends to the world building of the novel, firmly placing the reader in the muddy ale swill of the village, the crunching underfoot of the snowy mountains, and in the incense filled hallways of the temple. The amount of world building that is achieved in such few pages is genuinely impressive.
The characters are what truly shine in this novel. I absolutely adore Brann, he’s such a wonderfully complex, multifaceted character. Currently reading the EOTV series and Brann is giving me Silversaint vibes, a tragic hero, desperately trying to hide after a shattering past. But he’s so much more than that, there’s a fire in Brann, a war, and yet somehow still the remains of a heart. The interactions with other characters were incredibly well thought out, with each character feeling intentional in peeling back another layer of the mystery that surrounds Brann.
I also think the unravelling of Branns’ story was handled incredibly well, at no point did it feel ‘info-dumpy’ and was genuinely engaging throughout. This slow untangle of his history thoroughly heightening the ever building tension in the novel, successfully driving the reader towards the stories precipice.
I am also very intrigued by Serens character, there are a lot of secrets there I am desperately awaiting to unfold.
I loved the magic system, I thought this was incredibly unique and I am genuinely excited to see how this develops as the series progresses. My only minor criticism is the use of ‘pull from core’ as a phrase, personally I just feel this gets a little repetitive and could be described a little different melt from time to time, for example ‘Brann felt the familiar pull of his magic’ or ‘reached into that well at his core…’ I’m sure you could write it better than me but perhaps you get the idea.
Thoroughly enjoyed this one! Honestly cannot wait to see what happens next, what a cliffhanger to leave me on!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Autorin bzw. Autor
Thank you Noah for the ARC read. Unfortunately the book did not work for me and I’m truly sorry for that. My rating is of course entirely subjective and as with every work of art, it is all about personal preferences.
I’m an avid grimdark reader. The story is very bloody and gory and the world a grim place. It is certainly dark, but it did not feel grimdark to me in the sense of ambiguity, futility, hopelessness or heavy losses with huge emotional impact. This was mostly slaughtering nameless strangers.
I’m not a gamer but it gave me Final Fantasy vibes for some reason. It leans into tropes and stereotypes at times. And magic is omnipresent. It’s the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding. It is mentioned on basically every page in some way or another. Even though I was first rather enthusiastic about this magical system which is unlike those I encountered before, it soon became tiring. I prefer low fantasy, where magic is used only complementary.
Unfortunately the characters did not work for me as well. The main characters are both interesting but I failed to connect with them. Brann’s language feels strange, not like the old, drunken mercenary.
The story is very introspective, written in third person limited, it still felt as if we were mostly inside Brann's head with little conversation taking place for large parts of the book and only few side characters. I don’t do very well with this kind of story telling. It did not work for me in Lawrence’s books either. I prefer more show don’t tell in terms of character work.
And I love humor in books and it is a very important aspect whether I enjoy a book or not. Especially in dark or grimdark fantasy it means the world to me if I can have a good laugh every now and then but this book offered little in that regard.
I do think this book has its audience. The worldbuilding is more narrow in scope and few characters and accessible language will make it easy for readers who are new to fantasy and don’t want to dive into doorstoppers. Those who enjoy fantasy games with lots of sorcery or wish to read something darker and bloodier without jumping headlong into nihilism, they will probably enjoy it more than I did.
It’s still a solid debut and depending on what you're looking for in a book it’s certainly worth checking out.
I’m an avid grimdark reader. The story is very bloody and gory and the world a grim place. It is certainly dark, but it did not feel grimdark to me in the sense of ambiguity, futility, hopelessness or heavy losses with huge emotional impact. This was mostly slaughtering nameless strangers.
I’m not a gamer but it gave me Final Fantasy vibes for some reason. It leans into tropes and stereotypes at times. And magic is omnipresent. It’s the plot, the characters, the worldbuilding. It is mentioned on basically every page in some way or another. Even though I was first rather enthusiastic about this magical system which is unlike those I encountered before, it soon became tiring. I prefer low fantasy, where magic is used only complementary.
Unfortunately the characters did not work for me as well. The main characters are both interesting but I failed to connect with them. Brann’s language feels strange, not like the old, drunken mercenary.
The story is very introspective, written in third person limited, it still felt as if we were mostly inside Brann's head with little conversation taking place for large parts of the book and only few side characters. I don’t do very well with this kind of story telling. It did not work for me in Lawrence’s books either. I prefer more show don’t tell in terms of character work.
And I love humor in books and it is a very important aspect whether I enjoy a book or not. Especially in dark or grimdark fantasy it means the world to me if I can have a good laugh every now and then but this book offered little in that regard.
I do think this book has its audience. The worldbuilding is more narrow in scope and few characters and accessible language will make it easy for readers who are new to fantasy and don’t want to dive into doorstoppers. Those who enjoy fantasy games with lots of sorcery or wish to read something darker and bloodier without jumping headlong into nihilism, they will probably enjoy it more than I did.
It’s still a solid debut and depending on what you're looking for in a book it’s certainly worth checking out.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received an eARC for this book and this is my honest review.
The premise sounded right up my alley & I've been following Noah on Instagram for a while & knew I wanted to read this. Needless to say this lived up to the hype for me. I can be stingy with my 5 stars and at first was feeling a 4, maybe 4.5, but as the story progressed, the quality of writing throughout, & overall pacing made this a 5 star read for me.
Noah has described Robin Hobb & Brandon Sanderson as major influences and that absolutely holds true. I recently started my Realm of the Elderlings journey with Robin Hobb and Noah's character work is clearly influenced by her. The pace is a mix of character/plot driven but I found myself very invested in Brann and Serene. His world presentation to the reader and our understanding is also similar to Robin's by using the experiences of the characters to build the world instead of an expansive info dump, which is something I greatly appreciate.
Noah clearly has been working on this world and has thought through the layout, the gods, the society, and a well established hard magic system. It's also not hard to follow and we are able to learn everything as the characters talk about/experience the world or use their magic. In my opinion he's better than Sanderson in this regard because this novel is 1/2 the size of many books.
I greatly enjoyed this and recommend to any fantasy reader especially if you're looking to read a Grimdark that isn't purely nihilistic & depressing. It is violent and graphic (including death of children) so if that is triggering it is best to avoid, but the whole story was a constant page turner. I can't wait to read the next book in the series as well as own this on my bookshelf.
I am not paid for this review and went in open minded that maybe it is over hyped. However it is appropriately hyped and worth reading to any fantasy reader.
The premise sounded right up my alley & I've been following Noah on Instagram for a while & knew I wanted to read this. Needless to say this lived up to the hype for me. I can be stingy with my 5 stars and at first was feeling a 4, maybe 4.5, but as the story progressed, the quality of writing throughout, & overall pacing made this a 5 star read for me.
Noah has described Robin Hobb & Brandon Sanderson as major influences and that absolutely holds true. I recently started my Realm of the Elderlings journey with Robin Hobb and Noah's character work is clearly influenced by her. The pace is a mix of character/plot driven but I found myself very invested in Brann and Serene. His world presentation to the reader and our understanding is also similar to Robin's by using the experiences of the characters to build the world instead of an expansive info dump, which is something I greatly appreciate.
Noah clearly has been working on this world and has thought through the layout, the gods, the society, and a well established hard magic system. It's also not hard to follow and we are able to learn everything as the characters talk about/experience the world or use their magic. In my opinion he's better than Sanderson in this regard because this novel is 1/2 the size of many books.
I greatly enjoyed this and recommend to any fantasy reader especially if you're looking to read a Grimdark that isn't purely nihilistic & depressing. It is violent and graphic (including death of children) so if that is triggering it is best to avoid, but the whole story was a constant page turner. I can't wait to read the next book in the series as well as own this on my bookshelf.
I am not paid for this review and went in open minded that maybe it is over hyped. However it is appropriately hyped and worth reading to any fantasy reader.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC Review
BRO LIT
The Tethered God is action forward, gritty, and full of gore. (Think Invincible or The Boys) Scenes are crafted to get the blood pumping and have you yelling “let’s fucking gooooo!”
That being said, Brisk gives us readers plenty to ponder on and weaves in clever plot threads that can be analyzed on a deeper level if that’s your jam.
-
RELIGIOUS TRAUMA
Amidst all the running, fighting, and killing there is a heavy critique on the corruption found in organized religion. Characters are often placed in situations that have them questioning their teachings and their faith.
It feels like it is coming from a personal place, instead of your run of the mill “church bad” propaganda. There is some nuance and authenticity in the characters working through their crisis.
-
DYNAMIC DUO
Brisk provides us with probably my favorite type of duo.
1) Haggard old man who is tough as nails and seen too much in his life.
2) Ward who is working through some shit and is more sass than sense.
These two together allow for a range of compelling scenes. Action - Comedic Relief - Hard Hitting Emotion.
We do only get to scratch the surface of Seren’s character in this one, and I liked her so much I wished we would have gotten more of her. Hoping to dig into her more in any follow on books.
-
SHOW ME THE MAGIC
The magic system is an interesting blend of technical skill and divine gift that presents in the form of light. Though there are some limitation to the magic and the different magic factions, it seems like there isn’t much that a warden, mage, or priestess can’t accomplish. It makes for fun high intensity action scenes.
-
GROSS DUDE
I mentioned earlier that there was some gore. There is a body horror element to this story that is fantastically unsettling.
BRO LIT
The Tethered God is action forward, gritty, and full of gore. (Think Invincible or The Boys) Scenes are crafted to get the blood pumping and have you yelling “let’s fucking gooooo!”
That being said, Brisk gives us readers plenty to ponder on and weaves in clever plot threads that can be analyzed on a deeper level if that’s your jam.
-
RELIGIOUS TRAUMA
Amidst all the running, fighting, and killing there is a heavy critique on the corruption found in organized religion. Characters are often placed in situations that have them questioning their teachings and their faith.
It feels like it is coming from a personal place, instead of your run of the mill “church bad” propaganda. There is some nuance and authenticity in the characters working through their crisis.
-
DYNAMIC DUO
Brisk provides us with probably my favorite type of duo.
1) Haggard old man who is tough as nails and seen too much in his life.
2) Ward who is working through some shit and is more sass than sense.
These two together allow for a range of compelling scenes. Action - Comedic Relief - Hard Hitting Emotion.
We do only get to scratch the surface of Seren’s character in this one, and I liked her so much I wished we would have gotten more of her. Hoping to dig into her more in any follow on books.
-
SHOW ME THE MAGIC
The magic system is an interesting blend of technical skill and divine gift that presents in the form of light. Though there are some limitation to the magic and the different magic factions, it seems like there isn’t much that a warden, mage, or priestess can’t accomplish. It makes for fun high intensity action scenes.
-
GROSS DUDE
I mentioned earlier that there was some gore. There is a body horror element to this story that is fantastically unsettling.
Review of advance copy
Noah has made himself known in the book space with his critical, analytic and exceptionally detailed reviews of fantasy and sci-fi books and with that comes a certain layer of having to prove he can practice what he preaches.
He did. Hands down.
The Tethered God is an action packed, gnarly, fast paced debut that holds absolutely no punches. It doesn’t hold your hand and skip with you through a field of flowers. If anything, it drags you butt naked through a mile of upturned plugs and Lego bricks before dipping you lovingly into a vat of acid.
I have read this book in its beta form and in its final ARC form and even in its earliest form, I still hold the same views as I do now with its polishing.
Our main character Brann is broken, flawed and exceptionally likeable but honestly my hat goes off to his character work surrounding Seren. His writing really shines through when writing a female character, handling her with respect and care by ensuring she’s strong and independent. Both these characters on the page gel so well together in that they draw strength from each other rather than having it one sided.
The writing is dark, bloody and at times downright disgusting but amongst all that? There’s love, emotion and light. There’s also moments of critique about things in the real world which doesn’t take you away from the story or outside of the world. Characters are forced to really think and do a deep dive on their beliefs and morals.
If you love any of the FromSoftware games or are fans of Richard Swan, Jay Kristoff, John Gwynne, Robin Hobb, Ryan Cahill or J.R.R. Tolkien? This is your jam.
The Tethered God is out on the 22nd of September and is available to preorder now.
You need this book.
He did. Hands down.
The Tethered God is an action packed, gnarly, fast paced debut that holds absolutely no punches. It doesn’t hold your hand and skip with you through a field of flowers. If anything, it drags you butt naked through a mile of upturned plugs and Lego bricks before dipping you lovingly into a vat of acid.
I have read this book in its beta form and in its final ARC form and even in its earliest form, I still hold the same views as I do now with its polishing.
Our main character Brann is broken, flawed and exceptionally likeable but honestly my hat goes off to his character work surrounding Seren. His writing really shines through when writing a female character, handling her with respect and care by ensuring she’s strong and independent. Both these characters on the page gel so well together in that they draw strength from each other rather than having it one sided.
The writing is dark, bloody and at times downright disgusting but amongst all that? There’s love, emotion and light. There’s also moments of critique about things in the real world which doesn’t take you away from the story or outside of the world. Characters are forced to really think and do a deep dive on their beliefs and morals.
If you love any of the FromSoftware games or are fans of Richard Swan, Jay Kristoff, John Gwynne, Robin Hobb, Ryan Cahill or J.R.R. Tolkien? This is your jam.
The Tethered God is out on the 22nd of September and is available to preorder now.
You need this book.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I am nervous to leave an honest review as I really like the author, but here goes. This book was a 2.5/5 for me.
I received Tethered God as an ARC, and was so excited to read it. If you follow Noah Brisk on social media, you will see his passion for reading and writing. That passion is evident in The Tethered God.
Brisk has created an interesting world and story, and this is what kept me reading.
I really wanted to love this book, unfortunately the writing was where things fell down for me. In early chapters, Brisk seems to struggle to fall into character and we see this battle between the narration by our rough old drunken MC, and the authors own voice shining through. Between chapter 3 and 12, this improves but unfortunately slips again for the rest of the book. It feels like Brisk's passion and excitement for writing about graphic scenery overtakes the narration with Brann.
As the book progresses, the repetition of words becomes jarring and causes narratives to drag. For example, the word 'lattice' is used 37 times in the 2nd half of the book, 'shattered' 58 times, and 'mote' 64 times.
Another pet hate of mine is when characters inner thoughts or dialogue ask questions that are better left to the reader. What I would have loved to see, instead of a character making comments like, "did you see it too?" would be the use of body language - a look exchanged - that tells the reader what we already know. The book has so much exposition, that these additional moments of being told instead of shown really stand out.
It's so incredibly clear that Brisk has poured himself into this work, and I hope that his future writing gives us more of these fictional characters and less of the authors voice.
I received Tethered God as an ARC, and was so excited to read it. If you follow Noah Brisk on social media, you will see his passion for reading and writing. That passion is evident in The Tethered God.
Brisk has created an interesting world and story, and this is what kept me reading.
I really wanted to love this book, unfortunately the writing was where things fell down for me. In early chapters, Brisk seems to struggle to fall into character and we see this battle between the narration by our rough old drunken MC, and the authors own voice shining through. Between chapter 3 and 12, this improves but unfortunately slips again for the rest of the book. It feels like Brisk's passion and excitement for writing about graphic scenery overtakes the narration with Brann.
As the book progresses, the repetition of words becomes jarring and causes narratives to drag. For example, the word 'lattice' is used 37 times in the 2nd half of the book, 'shattered' 58 times, and 'mote' 64 times.
Another pet hate of mine is when characters inner thoughts or dialogue ask questions that are better left to the reader. What I would have loved to see, instead of a character making comments like, "did you see it too?" would be the use of body language - a look exchanged - that tells the reader what we already know. The book has so much exposition, that these additional moments of being told instead of shown really stand out.
It's so incredibly clear that Brisk has poured himself into this work, and I hope that his future writing gives us more of these fictional characters and less of the authors voice.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Wow. What a great start to a dark and gritty fantasy world. If you are a fan of Wheel of Time, grimdark fantasies, and the horror elements of Richard Swan's latest books, The Tethered God is the book for you.
The book was fast paced, with beautiful prose, and I liked the shorter length. Even with the shorter length, the author did a fantastic job with the worldbuilding and character development. Something I appreciated with how the author did not hold back punches. The dark scenes were DARK, gory, and bloody. But there were moments of light and emotion that shined through which helped me root for the main characters.
Brann, the main character, was flawed, damaged, and full of regret when we first meet him. Through the story, not only do we see why he is the way he is, but we see his strength and commitment, mostly because of Seren. I loved Seren. She was strong, independent, but willing to let Brann help her when needed. They found strength with each other.
Something I was not expecting in this book was the horror elements Noah sprinkled in. I found myself (several times) saying WTF. I'm not going to spoil anything but there were two horror parts that stood out to me; one was similar to Johnny Deep's death scene in The Nightmare on Elm Street and the other element was similar to the flesh wall in the upside down in Stranger Things.
Overall, this was a fun and dark read! I can't wait for more people to read Noah's book and I can't wait to read future books by him.
Add this to your TBR.
What to expect:
-Prophecies
-Cults
-Bloody, gory fight scenes
-Flawed characters
-Eldritch body horror
-Unique magic system
The book was fast paced, with beautiful prose, and I liked the shorter length. Even with the shorter length, the author did a fantastic job with the worldbuilding and character development. Something I appreciated with how the author did not hold back punches. The dark scenes were DARK, gory, and bloody. But there were moments of light and emotion that shined through which helped me root for the main characters.
Brann, the main character, was flawed, damaged, and full of regret when we first meet him. Through the story, not only do we see why he is the way he is, but we see his strength and commitment, mostly because of Seren. I loved Seren. She was strong, independent, but willing to let Brann help her when needed. They found strength with each other.
Something I was not expecting in this book was the horror elements Noah sprinkled in. I found myself (several times) saying WTF. I'm not going to spoil anything but there were two horror parts that stood out to me; one was similar to Johnny Deep's death scene in The Nightmare on Elm Street and the other element was similar to the flesh wall in the upside down in Stranger Things.
Overall, this was a fun and dark read! I can't wait for more people to read Noah's book and I can't wait to read future books by him.
Add this to your TBR.
What to expect:
-Prophecies
-Cults
-Bloody, gory fight scenes
-Flawed characters
-Eldritch body horror
-Unique magic system
Review of advance copy received from Author
I was lucky enough to receive an eARC of this as an eARC reader, and it ended up being a really enjoyable debut.
What stood out to me most was how confident the book feels. The pacing is sharp, the story moves with real momentum, and the action scenes are brutal, clear and very easy to picture without ever feeling generic. There is a strong cinematic quality to the way the violence and set pieces are written, but the book still manages to feel like it has its own identity.
Brann and Serene were the heart of the book for me. Both felt well realised, and I found myself most invested whenever the story slowed down enough to let their personalities, choices and relationship breathe. I also really liked the magic system. It has weight to it, and I appreciated that power in this world does not feel free or consequence-less.
My main reason for landing on 4 stars rather than 5 is that I wanted a bit more of the world outside the immediate plot. The epigraphs hint at a wider history and lore that I found genuinely interesting, but I often wanted the story itself to spend a little more time exploring that through secondary characters, quieter conversations and a deeper sense of place.
That said, the book grew stronger for me as it went on, and by the end I was definitely curious about where the series could go next.
Overall, this is a strong, original and very promising fantasy debut with excellent pacing, memorable leads, a great magic system and some seriously good action.
4 stars.
What stood out to me most was how confident the book feels. The pacing is sharp, the story moves with real momentum, and the action scenes are brutal, clear and very easy to picture without ever feeling generic. There is a strong cinematic quality to the way the violence and set pieces are written, but the book still manages to feel like it has its own identity.
Brann and Serene were the heart of the book for me. Both felt well realised, and I found myself most invested whenever the story slowed down enough to let their personalities, choices and relationship breathe. I also really liked the magic system. It has weight to it, and I appreciated that power in this world does not feel free or consequence-less.
My main reason for landing on 4 stars rather than 5 is that I wanted a bit more of the world outside the immediate plot. The epigraphs hint at a wider history and lore that I found genuinely interesting, but I often wanted the story itself to spend a little more time exploring that through secondary characters, quieter conversations and a deeper sense of place.
That said, the book grew stronger for me as it went on, and by the end I was definitely curious about where the series could go next.
Overall, this is a strong, original and very promising fantasy debut with excellent pacing, memorable leads, a great magic system and some seriously good action.
4 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Reviewers note: I read the beta version of this novel and gave feedback directly to the author, however, this is still an authentic review for that version.
Wow, this novel is dark, gritty, and epic in equal proportions, it holds back nothing and enriches you in a unique magic system and flushed out world. From page one, Noah’s writing feels like you were dropped into the action alongside the main character Brann, not that you’re merely a reader. The tension and horror seep deep into your bones as you read, because Noah doesn’t pull punches, there is no sugar coating the dark nature of humans and gods in this book. Themes of this story touch on regret, devotion, religion, prophecies, history being written by the victors, and cultish worship. All with a fast moving plot that doesn’t leave you lost or wanting more.
Not only is the prose stunning, world building and magic systems top notch, the character work is amazing. While Brann is the main character and Noah does well showcasing the layers to him, the gods, and other supporting characters, his writing really shines through with the female character Seren. A lot of male authors struggle with writing female characters, but man does Noah make up for all those who failed. It’s hard to talk about the character work without spoilers, but know everyone in this story has depths that Noah explores expertly.
If you want to read something that is similar to John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn trilogy, this is the book for you.
Wow, this novel is dark, gritty, and epic in equal proportions, it holds back nothing and enriches you in a unique magic system and flushed out world. From page one, Noah’s writing feels like you were dropped into the action alongside the main character Brann, not that you’re merely a reader. The tension and horror seep deep into your bones as you read, because Noah doesn’t pull punches, there is no sugar coating the dark nature of humans and gods in this book. Themes of this story touch on regret, devotion, religion, prophecies, history being written by the victors, and cultish worship. All with a fast moving plot that doesn’t leave you lost or wanting more.
Not only is the prose stunning, world building and magic systems top notch, the character work is amazing. While Brann is the main character and Noah does well showcasing the layers to him, the gods, and other supporting characters, his writing really shines through with the female character Seren. A lot of male authors struggle with writing female characters, but man does Noah make up for all those who failed. It’s hard to talk about the character work without spoilers, but know everyone in this story has depths that Noah explores expertly.
If you want to read something that is similar to John Gwynne’s Bloodsworn trilogy, this is the book for you.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thank you to Noah Brisk for providing me with an ARC of his upcoming first novel!
This book was a slow start for me. I found myself struggling to understand what was going on at first. Unlike other fantasy epics with lengthy prologues jam packed with exposition, this book drops you right into the middle of the action with the silent admonition of "figure it out yourself."
As a huge fan of the Wheel of Time series, I felt the homage to it. There is an evil god locked away by the Six and bound in the Divine Wound. There is a savior who goes on a bit of a quest to understand his true role to play in this eternal struggle between good and evil. There are so many references to patterns and lattices throughout.
Brann and Seren are fully fleshed out characters that didn't feel like caricatures but did feel familiar in terms of fantasy.
Brann is the hero of this story, but he is a tortured one. He is full of regrets and has been in exile for 19 years. We get a strong sense of who he is through his actions and his thoughts. He struggles with doing what's right versus protecting those he loves.
Seren is my favorite part of this book and I'm excited to see where her story goes in subsequent books. She's a young priestess who seeks out Brann at the behest of her mother. Despite her youth, I found her to be a pillar of strength throughout this book. When Brann could have failed in his quest, she was there to keep him motivated.
This book was a slow start for me. I found myself struggling to understand what was going on at first. Unlike other fantasy epics with lengthy prologues jam packed with exposition, this book drops you right into the middle of the action with the silent admonition of "figure it out yourself."
As a huge fan of the Wheel of Time series, I felt the homage to it. There is an evil god locked away by the Six and bound in the Divine Wound. There is a savior who goes on a bit of a quest to understand his true role to play in this eternal struggle between good and evil. There are so many references to patterns and lattices throughout.
Brann and Seren are fully fleshed out characters that didn't feel like caricatures but did feel familiar in terms of fantasy.
Brann is the hero of this story, but he is a tortured one. He is full of regrets and has been in exile for 19 years. We get a strong sense of who he is through his actions and his thoughts. He struggles with doing what's right versus protecting those he loves.
Seren is my favorite part of this book and I'm excited to see where her story goes in subsequent books. She's a young priestess who seeks out Brann at the behest of her mother. Despite her youth, I found her to be a pillar of strength throughout this book. When Brann could have failed in his quest, she was there to keep him motivated.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Tethered God is one hell of a debut novel.
This book is action-packed and filled to the brim with character development and world building. The reader is immediately thrust into a story where the main character is grizzled, seasoned and plagued with demons of his past and he finds he can no longer outrun his mistakes and with this, we are met with a mix of wonderful action sequences, horrifying moments and points of emotional investment. This variety shows off Brisk’s writing skill and shows us that he is capable of writing more than just fantasy.
With a writing signature that blends Robin Hobb, J.R.R. Tolkien and grim dark greats, this book keeps the reader invested from page one until the very last page.
What Brisk does in this book is magnificent. His craftsmanship of not only Brann but the world in which he lives is stunning. We see instances of inspiration from video games such as Skyrim and God of War throughout and it is well done and thoughtfully created. The themes of destiny vs. free will and the inability to outrun one’s past are carefully woven into the story to breathe life and a level of ingenuity into it.
The Tethered God is not simply a fantasy story. It is a love letter to foundational works and authors that have come before and Brisk proves that his writing and storytelling ability can stand amongst them in the fantasy space.
This book is action-packed and filled to the brim with character development and world building. The reader is immediately thrust into a story where the main character is grizzled, seasoned and plagued with demons of his past and he finds he can no longer outrun his mistakes and with this, we are met with a mix of wonderful action sequences, horrifying moments and points of emotional investment. This variety shows off Brisk’s writing skill and shows us that he is capable of writing more than just fantasy.
With a writing signature that blends Robin Hobb, J.R.R. Tolkien and grim dark greats, this book keeps the reader invested from page one until the very last page.
What Brisk does in this book is magnificent. His craftsmanship of not only Brann but the world in which he lives is stunning. We see instances of inspiration from video games such as Skyrim and God of War throughout and it is well done and thoughtfully created. The themes of destiny vs. free will and the inability to outrun one’s past are carefully woven into the story to breathe life and a level of ingenuity into it.
The Tethered God is not simply a fantasy story. It is a love letter to foundational works and authors that have come before and Brisk proves that his writing and storytelling ability can stand amongst them in the fantasy space.
Review of advance copy received from Author
The Tethered God is fantastically written. The worldbuilding is archaic, atmospheric, and drenched in angst. If The Wheel of Time and Mistborn had an unruly child, this would be it.
Brann is by no means a traditionally lovable protagonist, but he’s the kind of character you can’t help rooting for despite himself. Seren more than holds her own, and I’m excited to see how her character develops throughout the series.
One thing I found myself wishing for was a bit more levity. Whether through a character providing comic relief or more moments of banter, I think those lighter beats would have elevated the emotional impact even further and deepened my connection to the cast.
Noah also does an immaculate job portraying the brutality of conflict. The battle scenes are vivid and visceral. That said, I occasionally found myself skimming portions of the longer combat descriptions, as they sometimes stretched for several paragraphs and slowed the story’s momentum for me personally.
Overall, The Tethered God is an exceptionally well-crafted dark fantasy. It follows an unlikely underdog who simply refuses to quit, a bond that forever alters the lives of both protagonists, and a world built upon a terrible lie—one that, once uncovered, threatens to unravel everything they believed to be true.
Brann is by no means a traditionally lovable protagonist, but he’s the kind of character you can’t help rooting for despite himself. Seren more than holds her own, and I’m excited to see how her character develops throughout the series.
One thing I found myself wishing for was a bit more levity. Whether through a character providing comic relief or more moments of banter, I think those lighter beats would have elevated the emotional impact even further and deepened my connection to the cast.
Noah also does an immaculate job portraying the brutality of conflict. The battle scenes are vivid and visceral. That said, I occasionally found myself skimming portions of the longer combat descriptions, as they sometimes stretched for several paragraphs and slowed the story’s momentum for me personally.
Overall, The Tethered God is an exceptionally well-crafted dark fantasy. It follows an unlikely underdog who simply refuses to quit, a bond that forever alters the lives of both protagonists, and a world built upon a terrible lie—one that, once uncovered, threatens to unravel everything they believed to be true.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This is a tough one to gather my thoughts. There was moments in this book that really shone for me but by the end i had lost my feeling of being invested.
The first few chapters used language that sounded like the Author, not the drunk we were reading about. This was a bit jarring as the voice didn't feel like it matched the character. After a few chapters this really settled and i got quite invested. The imagery at the start was really good also and one of my main notes for this read. The epigraphs were well done and helped foreshadow the narrative nicely.
Unfortunately not long after half way, it fell away for me again and didn't reach a point of me buying back in.
This was due to what i felt was repetitive language, words and visuals that felt like it slowed the pace down despite the fact there was always something happening. The story and magic felt a bit convoluted by the end.
I will say, the epilogues sparked a little something, and will draw readers who enjoyed this back into the sequels with ease. I get the feeling an upcoming character will be quite interesting.
Thankyou Noah for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Tethered God. This is my honest review and all opinions are my own.
The first few chapters used language that sounded like the Author, not the drunk we were reading about. This was a bit jarring as the voice didn't feel like it matched the character. After a few chapters this really settled and i got quite invested. The imagery at the start was really good also and one of my main notes for this read. The epigraphs were well done and helped foreshadow the narrative nicely.
Unfortunately not long after half way, it fell away for me again and didn't reach a point of me buying back in.
This was due to what i felt was repetitive language, words and visuals that felt like it slowed the pace down despite the fact there was always something happening. The story and magic felt a bit convoluted by the end.
I will say, the epilogues sparked a little something, and will draw readers who enjoyed this back into the sequels with ease. I get the feeling an upcoming character will be quite interesting.
Thankyou Noah for the opportunity to read an early copy of The Tethered God. This is my honest review and all opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Full disclaimer, I got this as a free ARC.
This was a solid debut novel. There were a lot of things that I really liked about this book. The magic was very cool and I really enjoyed how nothing really is explained about how it works, at least not initially. It is also really visual which I liked as well, to an extent. More on that later. I also really liked the world and its lore. I loved the flavor texts at the beginning of most chapters.
I did have some things that I didn't enjoy so much. For me the pacing was a little off. It was really good for the first half, and then from 50% to about 80% it just felt off. I think this is because the prose is very descriptive. I personally like less wordy descriptions because it lets me fill in the blanks, and when all those blanks are filled in for me my brain spends too much effort making the picture so I miss things. The last thing that I didn't enjoy as much is that I think that some of the bad things that the bad guy does in the first half were a little too discriptive. I don't mind gore at all, but it felt a bit heavy handed at times and only served the purpose that we need to hate this guy.
Overall I had a good time with this and I look forward to seeing where this story goes!
This was a solid debut novel. There were a lot of things that I really liked about this book. The magic was very cool and I really enjoyed how nothing really is explained about how it works, at least not initially. It is also really visual which I liked as well, to an extent. More on that later. I also really liked the world and its lore. I loved the flavor texts at the beginning of most chapters.
I did have some things that I didn't enjoy so much. For me the pacing was a little off. It was really good for the first half, and then from 50% to about 80% it just felt off. I think this is because the prose is very descriptive. I personally like less wordy descriptions because it lets me fill in the blanks, and when all those blanks are filled in for me my brain spends too much effort making the picture so I miss things. The last thing that I didn't enjoy as much is that I think that some of the bad things that the bad guy does in the first half were a little too discriptive. I don't mind gore at all, but it felt a bit heavy handed at times and only served the purpose that we need to hate this guy.
Overall I had a good time with this and I look forward to seeing where this story goes!
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